|
 Jim
introduced our guest
speakers today – Joe Russolo
& Nicole D’Hondt of
Employer’s Edge. Their
session was entitled:
Bridging the Gap Between Benefits & Wellness
Some interesting facts
are:
Obesity - health care costs
are 30% higher for this
group of employees.
Diabetes and heart diseases
cost Canadians
$18,000,000,000/yr.
Smoking relates to more sick
leave and those who smoke
have an average cost of
$3500/yr. per employee
Up to 70% of employee health
costs are related to stress
20% of employees use up to
80% of health costs
Promoting wellness and a
healthy lifestyle pays
dividends to both the
employer and employees
What is Wellness?
§
In the US it
is all about reducing costs
§
In Canada, it
is all about employee
retention
§
Top Canadian
employers now promote a
Wellness Program as a
recruitment tool
§
To be
effective, a Wellness
Program has 3 key components
including:
1)
An Evaluation
2)
Accountability
3)
Follow-up
Programs can be set up as
a group strategy or on an
individual basis. Often,
healthy competition amongst
employees can increase
involvement.
Key Components of a
Successful Corporate
Program:
-
Senior Management
support is critical to
the success of the
program
-
Start with a Wellness
Program Evaluation
-
Employees complete an
Online Assessment –
which is private
-
Establish a Wellness
Committee
-
Implement a Program that
is customized for the
individuals or develop a
Group Program
-
Establish an Awareness
Program – conduct
seminars, workshops and
employee ‘challenges’ to
maintain interest
-
Evaluate the Program and
make adjustments after
each 6-month period.
Conduct a secondary
health risk assessment.
Questions & Answers:
Q: how do you
determine what is best for a
company?
A: each program is
customized for each employer
or work setting
Q: have you ever
developed a program for a
club or group like a Rotary
Club?
A: Not yet but we are
looking for the first such
opportunity!
Note:
At that point Roger asked
if we were really ready to
see Jim Nash in Yoga tights?
Joe &
Nicole noted that currently,
stress-related health costs
were the number one costs to
the health care system
today. Paula noted the
Health Care Industry is
predicting that Depression
will take over as the number
one cost by 2010!
Bill
Dielman thanked Joe & Nicole
and presented them with the
book for our Library Program
for signing.
A special thank you to Paula
for making a trip to CKHA to
get her laptop as we had
technical difficulties with
the one brought for (or by)
Joe/Nicole.
_______________________________________________________________
Past President Jim thanked
everyone for his or her
attendance and closed the
meeting at 8:30am |
